


The Gift

by sunnyautumnmorning



Category: Assassin's Creed III - Fandom
Genre: Christmas Fluff, F/M, Feelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-25
Updated: 2015-12-25
Packaged: 2018-05-09 05:07:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,481
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5526578
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sunnyautumnmorning/pseuds/sunnyautumnmorning
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ratonhnhaké:ton receives a gift and returns one as best as he knows how.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Gift

**Author's Note:**

  * For [RainySpringMorning](https://archiveofourown.org/users/RainySpringMorning/gifts).



> Something sweet for you for Christmas.

“What is it?” He asked, with a look of bewilderment and maybe a touch of apprehension crossing his face, as he stood, while holding the package carefully, by the corners as if it might bite him or something worse.

“It is a Christmas present.”

You spoke slowly, enunciating each word meticulously, so he would maybe have a better understanding of what it was that you had handed to him.

“And why would you feel it necessary to give me one of…what did you call it again?”

You sighed, rolling your eyes in exasperation at his inquiry. You had been going over this for the last five minutes.

You stared at the man before you, dressed in his robes of white and smiled.

“Because, it is my way of wishing you a Merry Christmas and I thought you were deserving of it.”

It was not that he was ignorant to the fact of Christmas; he knew from your prattling on about the holiday and what it meant to you and you were sure from his time spent in the white man’s world that he had seen it all before. But this Christmas was special to you, since _he_ had come into your life.

He just wanted to fluster you and it was just his way of unraveling your strings.  
He did it so well and you should have, by now, realized that; but you kept succumbing to his ability to _completely_ turn your world upside down.

He was definitely not at all like the other men that had been in your life. He was strong, silent, shy, methodical, and a kind of handsome that was not hard to be around.

He had come into your world and you had suddenly become unsure of yourself; becoming clumsy and sometimes tongue-tied around him.

You felt your face turning red many a time when he caught you staring at him. You could not help yourself.

“You want to give me a present because I am deserving of it, why?” His eyes slid over your face, stopping at your lips, that at that particular moment, the bottom of which, was being chewed on.

You threw your hands up into the air and turned around as if to walk away.

“Can you not just accept it and let us move on to something else?”

“I could, but I want to know why?” He spoke softly, in a tone, that made you want to forgive him, for whatever he could say or do.

You stepped forward, straining up onto your tiptoes and kissed him on the lower cheek, watching as he lowered his head and blushed and then you shoved the present he held in his hands, closer to his chest.

“It is a gift, an offering of friendship and warm feelings of the season upon us. You take that home with you and then tomorrow morning, you can open it. When you do you will understand better as to what it means. I promise you.”

He looked at the present in his hands and back to you again. “I cannot accept it. It would not be appropriate for me to.”

“Oh for the love of…” you counted to ten, trying to calm down and failing miserably at it, “look, just take it and open it tomorrow, or tonight, if you cannot wait. I saw it and I thought of you and I wanted to give it to you. A simple gesture of friendship, that is all. Consider it, if you want, a thank you for all you have done for me.”

With that being said, you turned and walked to the front gate of the boarding house and you turned to look at him and you nodded and smiled.

“Merry Christmas, Ratonhnhaké:ton.”

~~*~~

I watched you go, your skirts trailing behind you, leaving a curious sweeping pattern in the freshly fallen snow. I could sense that I had upset you and I instantly regretted my actions and I did not know how to repair the damage I had done.

You were not like others, that I had encountered. You were not weak, nor were you strong. You were bold, yet you were timid. You were plain, but yet you were beautiful. You were by all means a contradiction to yourself.

You had swept into my life, a few months past and had turned my entire world upside-down with your mere presence.  
I found myself second guessing myself, questioning every single choice I had made in those months.  
I made mistakes, blundered along where I should have been confident and steady.  
I was tongue tied by you more often than not. You left me sweating and shaking and elated and overjoyed and scared all at the same time.

You were, to me, a storm on the sea that had my ship held tight in its firm grip.

And to be honest, I did not want it to end.

I would not have changed a minute of the time we had spent together. I found myself wanting to be with you every moment of every day.

I would not have changed anything, except my behavior that had left you upset with me.

You had offered me a token of friendship and I had acted as if it were something to be distrusted.

I turned to walk back to my horse and hesitated in step. Your face burning before me and I could not leave things the way they were.

I turned on heel and strode to the boarding house, raising one hand and knocking upon the grey door.

The owner of the establishment greeted me and ushered me into the drawing room, offering me a cup of cider which I accepted.  
I found I had a particular fondness for it since meeting you.

I was left alone with the cider until you appeared, cheeks slightly flushed, hair down, loose around your shoulders, framing your face. Your eyes were red rimmed as was your nose.  
You had been crying, because of me, no doubt.

I bent to the table and deposited my cup of cider and took in hand the present you had given me. I glanced at you then I began to open the present.

I removed the green silk ribbon, carefully, then removed the manila colored paper and set it on the chair.

In my hands, I now held a small wooden box, obviously carefully handcrafted. It was a rich dark brown, with a lighter shade of brown inlaid into the top, polished until it glowed, catching the light of the nearby oil lamp.

I looked towards you as you stood, your hands grasped in front of you, watching my every movement.

I returned to looking at the box and opened the lid ever so slowly.

Lying inside the box, amongst the folds of a deep green velvety material, was a silver dove feather on a silver chain.

I stared at it, taking in its beauty, the simplicity of it, and then the meaning behind it. A feather from a dove symbolized kindness, gentleness and love.

I closed the lid of the box and looked to you as you stood, a small smile playing at the corner of your mouth.

“Do you...do you like it?” You hesitantly asked.

I nodded.

I set the box down on the nearby table and stepped towards you.

A hundred thoughts, raced through my mind, all colliding in that moment as I looked upon your face. I calmed my mind and made my choice.

I saw you take in a quick, light breath, I saw you blink in succession three times, and I saw a tiny tear glistening, still caught on the lower lashes of your left eye. I saw you swallow and your mouth move as if you were to speak.

Whatever you were going to say was lost, as my mouth came down hard on yours. One hand wrapped around your waist as I pulled you in close. The other hand went to your neck, under your hair then into it as I tugged your head back.  
I kissed you, deeply, my tongue forcing your lips apart, seeking the sweetness and heat of your mouth, sweeping away any resistance you might put up.

I felt you go limp against me, I heard you sigh as I kissed you tenderly then releasing you I stepped back.

“Why?” Was what you asked a few moments, as you stood blinking and trying to focus on me.

I smiled at you. “I wanted to give you something; a gift, a token of our friendship. You earned it.”

Your eyebrows came together, as you frowned at me, then your eyes narrowed as you gently shoved me back.

“You, you…”

“Niawen’kó:wa-thank you very much.”

You smiled up at me opening your mouth to speak, but your words were lost, as I kissed you, again.


End file.
